A masqerade of the best sort
by CleoCrow
Summary: THE RABBIT AND THE TEDDY BEAR. the same story different title. When Alice comes back from Wonderland she isn't the same, rather insane. This is her's and a mans story to regain sanity.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own the story Alice, or the characters that reside in the world of Wonderland even through it would have been a terrific feeling to have created such a masterpiece. But this story takes place when Alice is 17 years of age, and never had recovered from the strange and illusive world, Wonderland.

"Alice can not have any visitors at the moment Mr. Walter she is not feeling well at the moment, but when she regains her strength I will certainly contact you at once," Alice's sister said as she curled the telephones curly wire between her fingers and yawned.

She was drained with her energy tending to Alice, well tending to a stranger for it wasn't the innocent Alice that she had know her whole life, she was…lost. Alice's mind had been lost ever since her mind had slipped into that world of chaos and distortion.

But deep inside of Alice somehow she was still there desperate to swim past the pandemonium sea's of her own insanity and break the surface towards reality. Yes that one inch of Alice was still there but she could feel her own body drowning in this figurative sea, her lungs burned with the yearning of calmness and tranquility.

Alice's sister sat on the bed across from Alice with anguish in her eyes; she never dreamed of seeing Alice like this and it tore right through her heart to see her so vulnerable . But Alice sat with her appearance disarray; her blonde hair that was so beautiful in the past was now intertwined in each other making disordered dreadlocks. Her face had lost all of its color but red blotches on the shadows of her face.

Her clothes were soiled atop of her skin and dirt was under the broken and chipped nails, she held her hands clasped together as she stared at her sister and held a small smile.

"Alice darling I love you," Alice's sister said as she held up her hand shaping them into a small heart on her chest.

But Alice said nothing as her face remained the same with that small smile, when she had lost her mind her voice came also; the voice of reason. But as she stared into her sisters eyes her eyes glistened and tears began to fall.

"You are going to be fine in the future; you just see Alice," Alice's sister grasped her hand as she squeezed her fingers tightly, and Alice squeezed her sisters hand back as she hugged her teddy bear; Cleo.

But as she looked at the wall next to the restroom she saw that big wide smile of the Cheshire cat bore into Alice, and she screamed as she held the bear close to her.

Cleo the knight that would fight off her dragons and keep her safe, from everyone, everything, even herself; because days come and go even people but Cleo would always be there, her guardian forever. He had black fur that was soft and had been comfort for Alice on her lonely nights that seemed so long at times.

But Alice dared to raise her eyes once again and the purple Cheshire cat stood two feet away from the bed his smile widening even wider, and she griped the teddy tighter as her knuckles turned white.

"Cleo, make him stop," Alice screamed as tears of fear ran down her face. Her sister didn't even bother to look at the wall, for she knew that there wouldn't be anything there, and she wrapped her arms around Alice, and hugged him severely.

The cat came closer as he put his paws on the rod iron footboard, and Alice trembled in her sister's arms.

"Sanity is an illusion Alice, for with illusions comes sanity, and sanity comes illusions. For which is which and what is what," he spoke his spinning voice twisting the webs of the words together.

"I'm not afraid of you," whispered Alice, as her voice trembled.

"There is nothing to fear only yourself, and that is the illusion…" the cat smiled once again as his body disappeared leaving his broad smile.


	2. Chapter 2

Alice sat across her sister at the breakfast table with the same small smile that was curving her lips as if she held a secret behind them. She held Cleo tenderly in her arms caressing his fur softly, and her sister looked at her with sadness. It seemed that to 17 year old Alice her own world revolved around that bear.

" Alice would you like to go to the park today; It is suppose to be a marvelous day," Her sister ask touching Alice's hand with a smile. Alice's face seemed to brighten up in a flash of glee then she looked at the bear and her glee simmered out.

" Can Cleo come... He is rather fond of the park," Alice pleaded as she squeezed the bear softly.

Her sister smiled soothing Alice's troubles, "Of course he can," chuckling as Alice's face filled with glee yet again and she took one of the napkins from the table and tied it around her shoulder going across her waist creating a place to place Cleo.

" _Alice what has the world come to for me to be sitting on your breast?" _Alice said in a deep masculine voice making it as Cleo's voice.

" Well since I don't have an appropriate bag for me to carry you in I have to come to drastic measures Cleo. I wouldn't want you to come in harms way you know," Alice said. " We wouldn't want your stitches to break like the last time. If you were hurt then who would protect me?"

Indeed, who would protect Alice? The cheerful smile that was on her face disappeared and turned serious; if Cleo wasn't there then she would have no one to turn to.

Alice took Cleo out of her napkin and she looked at Cleo with woebegone eyes; he was her best friend, and the world would end for her if he was gone.

Sorrow seemed to fill her to the rim as she thought of such things and the sorrow spilled over as tears. Alice hugged the bear to her and she cried begging for him not to leave her. She stared into his lifeless glass eyes and pleaded for him to stay, to never leave her.

" Never leave me Cleo, don't ever go…" Alice wept over and over as her tears filled Cleo's fur. She held him so gently in her arms, as if she squeezed to hard he would shatter in her hands and scatter all over the floor.

" Cleo's not going anywhere Alice," her sister tried to console her as she watched Alice with pity slowly shrink to the floor still repeating her grievous pleads. Her sister hugged Alice to her bosom feeling her body shake underneath her.

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Alice's sister carried her into her bedroom placing her on the bed while she still chanted her plead to Cleo softly. Her face was drench in her own fearful tears that plastered her blond hair on her face; her sister looked at her with a face that was soaked through with pity.

Where had that blonde bundle of happiness disappear to, leaving only a shell of a girl in her place? Alice's sister remembered her smile and laugh that was so cheerful it always place a smile on everyone's face.

That now a days her laugh could be mistaken for a cry for help or a sheik, but then again maybe it was for as time went on her grasp of understanding Alice was slipping away.

Her sister exited Alice bedroom closing the door, and Alice's fear grow more as it seemed to be speeding through her whole body all at once and she clutched to Cleo harder. Alice could feel him, he was inside of the room waiting to torment her. She could feel the Cheshire's his eyes boring holes into her back and she squeezed her eyes shut not wanting to ever open them.

She covered her head with the blanket that sat at her feet in a quick motion and she didn't realize that she was shaking until she was trying desperately to cover her head with clammy hands. His dark chuckle filled her head and seemed so loud in the silence it was agonizing to Alice.

" Some try to hide, some try to cheat, but time will show you we always meet. Try as you might, to guess my name. I promise you'll know when you I do claim. I am one who people fear, but you should not dear Alice." the cat whispered. " For life is only a dream until one day when I come to awake you. Life is but a dream Alice," the cat seemed so close to Alice it made her shiver.

" I-I'm n-not afraid of you," Alice cried out in as tears dropped to the bed and she pleaded for Cleo to protect her. But somewhere in her mind she knew she was going to die this very night and she kissed Cleo's soft fur.

But then she felt the cats fur covered hand on her own and it was so cold to her, she could imagine the cats eyes burning with murder staring at her.

Alice felt the cats cold furry hand clasp around her wrist and fear built up so immensely in her that it busted out in a load cry and she jumped at the touch of the cat that she fell out of the bed.

She scurried across the floor toward the corner and held the bear in her left hand against her chest as she cried out with ever breath.

But her sister screamed as she watched Alice fall out of the bed with a crash and scurry like an animal towards the right wall farthest from her. But she gasped in horror watching Alice holding her left arm in an awkward angle across her chest, and she suspected a break.

" Alice wait right here, I will call the doctor," she said as she ran out of the room.

But Alice still held her eyes shut not wanting to see the cat as he made his way towards her; the only thought that were running across her mind was she needed to flee and to get away from here. The Chesire was going to kill her…


End file.
